Colorado 34-7 Arizona (Oct. 19, 2024) Game Recap

TUCSON, Ariz. – Both of Colorado's losses came after slow starts, so coach Deion Sanders naturally emphasized a better start in the desert.

With the help of Arizona's failed opening game, the Buffaloes stormed out of the gates and put together one of their best all-around games of the season.

Shedeur Sanders threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns, and Colorado's defense beat Arizona in a 34-7 victory on Saturday.

“We are in good shape and always play well in the second half, but it was essential to get off to a great start in the first half,” Sanders said. “That’s what we focused on.”

That's exactly what they did.

The Buffaloes (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) scored two early touchdowns – one on Arizona's failed opening onside kick – and outran the Wildcats (3-4, 1-3) all afternoon to pull away from 31 -28 to rebound from last week's loss to Kansas State.

Sanders threw two touchdowns with two interceptions on 23 of 33 passing and ran for another score. Colorado converted 8 of 11 third downs, building a 21-point halftime lead and its defense held the Wildcats to 245 total yards.

“Everyone is capable and we have a team that is capable of winning any game and we did that today,” Colorado safety Shilo Sanders said. “Everyone played like themselves.”

Arizona spent most of the afternoon chasing the Buffaloes.

The Wildcats struggled to protect quarterback Noah Fifita, giving up seven sacks after allowing a total of six in the first six games. Fifita struggled most of the day, throwing an interception, losing a fumble and failing to find preseason All-American Tetairoa McMillan, who had five catches for 38 yards.

“There were some opportunities there, some bright moments, but not nearly enough to sustain offense and move the ball against a really active defense,” Arizona coach Brent Brennan said.

The Wildcats' problems began on the opening kickoff.

To surprise the Buffaloes, Arizona attempted an onside kick that failed and spent most of the first half defending a small field.

Colorado started its first drive on Arizona's 46-yard run and converted it with Isaiah Augustave's 1-yard touchdown run. Drelon Miller scored on a 1-yard shovel pass from Sanders on the next drive, then Will Sheppard scored a 16-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone – initially ruled incomplete before being overturned on review.

Sanders' 6-yard touchdown run gave Colorado a 28-7 halftime lead.

Arizona had a sustained drive in the first half, capped by Fifita's 1-yard shovel pass to Chris Hunter, and lost a fumble deep in its own end – two plays after recovering a fumble.

“We have a standard and we don’t live up to it,” said Fifita, who threw for 138 yards on 16 of 28 passes. “Of course, defeat makes things worse.”

Colorado's offense stalled in the second half, but the way its defense played didn't matter.

Shilo rebounds

Shilo Sanders returned last week after missing three games with a broken forearm and played what he said was the worst game of his life against Kansas State.

Sanders spent the week watching tape and talking to his father about what he did wrong, and it paid off with an outstanding game against Arizona. Sanders had four tackles, one breakdown and was a key reason Colorado was able to hold Fifita to 134 yards under his season average.

“Everyone goes through ups and downs,” Sanders said. “It was better for me to go through a defeat. It made me commit to watching all my films and preparing at the highest level.”

The takeaway food

A week after a narrow loss to Kansas State, Colorado appears to be back on track with one of its best all-around games. Arizona is looking for answers on both sides after its third straight loss.

NEXT

Colorado: hosts Cincinnati next Saturday.

Arizona: hosts West Virginia next Saturday.

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